Want to see a day in the life of one of our colleagues?

Some of our backgrounds

Initially, recruitment wasn’t on Tom’s radar career-wise. In fact, he had joined the army, where he excelled in classes and applied to be an officer. “I broke my foot during a training exercise, and after nine months of recovery, it became apparent I’d sustained lasting damage.”

He knew he would have to move on, and found a fresh start in recruitment. “Being stuck in an office wasn’t what I wanted, so it was important I chose a company that not only allowed me to travel, but encouraged it commercially. I’ll say this – OJ is the antithesis of your average desk job!

"I’ve always gone full pelt at whatever I’ve done. I left Loughborough University with a BSc in Geography and a Master’s in Business; I travelled the world for years, and I played professional rugby internationally, and I tackled recruitment the same way.” David worked in management consultancy prior to joining Oliver James, and, despite having no hands-on recruitment experience, impressed Oliver James with his tenacity. Fast-forward to January 2016, and David took a leap of faith, moving halfway across the world to help steer OJ’s newest office in New York City. “It’s the city that never sleeps, so there’s always something new to do – and who better to do it with than industry heavyweights, Oliver James?" ​

After a unique journey to Oliver James’ door, Anna Davies is without doubt one of our most successful recruiters. She joined us in July 2014 with a diverse employment history, and a level of natural sales ability that saw her progress quickly in the business. ‘I’ve done a bit of everything – from selling conservatories to working in a salt mine! I even set-up a coffee shop while I was travelling in Australia, which was probably the first time my entrepreneurial side really came to light.’ Today, Anna is a Managing Consultant, responsible for the day-to-day management of the Actuarial and Data & Analytics desks. “I’ve always been attracted to places that have offered me captivating opportunities. So far nowhere has come close to Oliver James.”

At 21, Ben came to Oliver James with a degree in Geography and Geology, and some basic direct sales experience. He wasn’t to know his journey would be one of the company’s most successful, leading to five desks under his watch and three consecutive awards for the ‘Year’s Highest Billing Consultant’, as well as him breaking the company’s 12-month billing record of £1.07 million – a feat he achieved in 2016. “I like to help the people in my teams, supporting them through each stage of the recruitment process so they can become repeat billers.” Culturally, Ben views Oliver James as “work hard play hard, while still being caring. You get all the help you need because the management wants to ensure everyone has the resources to thrive.”

Sarah joined Oliver James Associates Manchester in 2012. She was previously on the Marks & Spencer graduate scheme, managing a team of 35 in-store. Why recruitment? “I actually ran into an old friend, who introduced me to Jimmy, Group Managing Director of Oliver James. It was then that I felt inspired to switch career paths and apply for a recruitment position. I’ve never looked back; the opportunities here have been truly incredible. When you hit the targets, see your name on the leader board and experience the financial rewards, it’s amazing.” ​

Victoria joined Oliver James in 2004 from S3 Group, a global recruitment agency that was also home to none other than Oliver James co-founder and Group Managing Director, James Rogers. There, Victoria was a top biller for the Progressive brand, recruiting in the IT industry. Today, Victoria heads up a small desk that places KPMG and Deloitte’s most senior positions, a role exclusive to her. “I understand these companies implicitly, recruiting executive level candidates with the aid of decision makers I’ve known for years.” She intends to spend at least the next five years at Oliver James. “One of the things I love most about my job is the relationships I get to build. Over the last couple of years, I’ve really enjoyed training and developing the other consultants. Anybody who’s thinking of applying to Oliver James, don’t hesitate. Be prepared to work hard, with the promise of exceptional remuneration for your efforts.”

Our Awards

Our international expertise is best demonstrated by our success in a multitude of awards. We're passionate about what we do and recognition in these prestigious awards is testament to our professionalism, industry knowledge and excellence in delivery.

Our Clients

Our History

OJ has been hard at work since 2002. Below, you’ll find some of our biggest achievements and milestones from past to present.

Slide the timeline below to reveal them...

2002

Oliver James is incorporated in Manchester by Oliver Castle and James Rogers.

2005

We open our first office outside HQ, in the Big Smoke: London.

2010

Growing fast, we hit £10m turnover, and our headcount rises to 50.​​

2011

New highs for the guys as we reach £25m turnover. Our first international office is ready for business. This time, we’re in Hong Kong.

2012

100 people can say they work at Oliver James – a £50m business.​

2013

There’s no stopping us now, as 50 more people join OJ, and take our headcount to 150.​

2014

OJ takes to the continent, with an Amsterdam office focusing on Benelux.

2015

Another year, another continent, as we open the New York office. ​Oliver James now hires 200 people, and is turning over more than £65m.

2016

250 people now call Oliver James home, as our headcount shows amazing growth. We set our sights on APAC, with another office in Singapore.

2017

Our move to No1 Spinningfields marks a new era for the Manchester flagship, in the city's most sought-after business destination.​​

2018

We hit £91million turnover, and place 44th on Best Companies 'Best 75 Companies to work for in the North West' list.'​​​

Rewards, Wellbeing & Benefits

The most important asset we have is our people, so we make sure they’re treated right. A career at OJ means access to unrivalled benefits, considering each aspect of your life, career and health.

Some of our benefits

20-25 days' annual leave and Christmas shut down

Private health insurance

Pension scheme

Car allowance

Extended lunch for gym goers

Three annual social events

Our Offices

Take a look at our brand new Manchester office:

London

Dublin

Manchester

Amsterdam

Brussels

Milan

Frankfurt

New York

Hong Kong

Singapore

A Typical Day

8:30

14:00

17:00

​Good Morning!

Mornings at OJ are typically spent working live jobs – headhunting, screening and contacting talent in the market.

Good Afternoon!

Duties vary from day to day, but many of our consultants focus on business development and client meetings during this time.

Good Evening!

​Towards the end of the day, we interview candidates, give feedback to clients and reach out to our contacts.

Our Award-Winning Learning & Development Function

Discover a place where your progression is taken seriously. OJ has one of the finest training programmes in the industry, ensuring you gain every bit of experience you can on your journey with us. The appetite for personal development in our company is such that everybody, all the way up to Directors, can access an L&D programme bespoke to their ambitions and career goals.

One-to-One Coaching

Individual sessions delivered regularly throughout your career. From live call playback to personal at-desk training, we work around your learning preferences.

Core Education

Five core classes to assist general learning from entry level to management level.​

Training Workshops

Group-based sessions on any given topic, with 17 immediately accessible options. Each is completed at a key development stage.

This culture of upwards mobility has led to the promotion of 105 people since 2017, with 45% at Manager, Associate Director and Director-level facilitating the launch of new offices in Belgium, Dublin and Milan.